To Keep Me Warm At Night
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: Yang recalled her teammates had been complaining a bit last night about the cold, but she never expected they'd be so desperate as to sneak into her bed for warmth. "I am the portable team heater I guess…"
1. To Keep Me Warm At Night

**The first part of this initially began as just a simple Pollination drabble for Tom, but then I was asked to expand it for a commission so... well here it is! Long enough to be its own oneshot now!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

To Keep Me Warm At Night

Chapter 1.

It wasn't the first time Yang had snored herself awake.

The first thing she heard was a groan climbing scratchily up her own throat.

The first thing she tasted was the dull staleness of her morning breath.

The first thing she remembered was that it was a Sunday morning, and she didn't have to get up for any particular reason.

The first thing she smelled was the citrusy scent of her own hair, which was normal.

But the first thing she _felt_ wasn't so normal.

She was warm.

 _Really_ warm.

Much warmer than she usually was, even given the nature of her semblance.

Which led her to discover the first thing she _saw_ that morning.

She blinked groggily, waiting for her hazy vision to come into focus.

And the first thing she saw was-

Black.

At first, she thought she'd been so tired she'd forgotten to _actually_ open her eyes. But when she waited a second and looked harder, everything started to make sense.

Well… sort of.

For whatever reason, Blake was there. Lying on top of her. Curled up and fast asleep, comfortable and carefree.

Clearly, she'd been there for quite some time.

Only now did Yang register the pressure of her partner's weight on her chest. With a sigh, she attempted to move her arms around Blake's back so she could roll her off to one side.

At least, she would've _liked_ to do that.

But neither of her arms would move.

Tilting her head, she discovered Ruby clinging loosely to her left arm, snuggling close with her hands wrapped around her elder sister in a hug that had no doubt been constricting several hours ago. She was drooling slightly and mumbling a bit in her sleep.

To her other side was Weiss, much quieter in her slumber. She was pressed close to Yang's side with her cheek resting on the brawler's shoulder.

Yang recalled her teammates had been complaining a bit last night about the cold, but she never expected they'd be so desperate as to sneak into her bed for warmth.

"I _am_ the portable team heater I guess…"

When she tried to shift her head again, she felt that one last guest had curled up above her head on her pillow. Zwei snoozed there, and she just prayed he wasn't drooling in her hair.

They were a tangled mess of hair and clothes and limbs, breathing and snoring and huddling for warmth.

But it was Sunday, and Yang found she couldn't care less.

With a smile, she pulled them all a little closer as best she could, and closed her eyes to go back to sleep.

* * *

Weakened by the cold, they'd ended up sleeping in much the same manner that Sunday night.

But in contrast to the peaceful, warm slumber the team had shared the last few evenings, the following Monday morning was a bit of a disaster.

The blaring alarm sounds startled them all awake, and Zwei was barking within seconds, which caused Blake to panic and roll off of Yang onto Weiss, who started yelling, and then Ruby started complaining everything was too loud.

"Guuuuys!" she whined, clinging to Yang and trying not to fall over the edge. "Keep it down! It's still so earlyyyy..."

"Oh," Weiss scoffed from beneath Blake. "Says the girl who woke me up the first day by _blowing a whistle in my ear!_ "

"Yang, could you _please_ shut your dog up?" Blake pleaded, covering her ears and crushing Weiss further into the mattress.

"I think you _all_ need to shut up," the blonde grunted. There was a hint of warning in her tone that all of them – even Zwei – caught, and immediately the room was quiet once again. "Good," she sighed. "Now let's all try to get down without collapsing the bed or getting any limbs broken."

First, she instructed Ruby to release her clinging death grip and held onto her little sister's hands until her feet had touched the floor.

Blake went next, jumping with agile precision, even first thing in the morning.

From there, she helped spot Weiss' back from the floor as Yang guided her down from up high.

After that, Yang handed Zwei to Ruby and then hopped down herself.

"Well, I hope you all enjoyed last night too, and were able to keep nice and warm. We should probably get going to class now." She picked up her uniform and took her leave into the bathroom first, leaving the other three to share fretful glances with one another.

Weiss bit her lip slightly.

"We didn't upset her, did we?"

Blake's ears flattened a little.

"I'm not sure..."

But Ruby did her best to reassure them both.

"Don't worry! I don't think she's upset! Probably just cranky and tired."

But even so, as they went about their classes that day, the three of them couldn't help but feel a little guilty. They didn't want Yang to feel as though they'd _used_ her. While leeching her natural warmth on a chilly night may have been the initial intention, it certainly hadn't been the reason they'd _stayed_ so long and slept so soundly.

By the end of the day, they were all feeling guilty, worried Yang might be taking things the wrong way.

It was getting cold again that evening as they were all dressing into their sleep clothes and preparing for bed, but none of them complained about the chill. They didn't want to make Yang feel guilted into inviting them to her bed to stay warm or anything like that.

But even so, Ruby, Weiss, and Blake were all nearly bursting with pent-up concern by now, concern that Yang was upset with them for the last two nights.

Ruby hadn't even climbed up into her own bed yet before she caved and started wailing.

"Yaaaang!" She ran to her sister and threw her arms around her. "I'm sorry if we made you feel bad last night! We're all sorry!"

"Huh?" Baffled, she tried to register what was happening as she returned Ruby's hug. "Ruby, what are you-"

"She's right," Weiss admitted. "We didn't want you to feel as though the only reason we'd all ended up with you last night was solely because it was warmer there."

"Right," Blake added. "It wasn't only the warmth. But... we all really enjoyed it, too. Right?"

Ruby vigorously banged her head up and down against Yang's shoulder as Weiss nodded more shyly.

"So please, Yang!" Ruby begged her. "Don't just think we were using you for warmth! We love you more than that!"

By now, the blonde was finally beginning to understand what had been upsetting them all today. As soon as she realized it was something as trivial as this, she began to chuckle.

"Aw, you guys are too sweet! To be honest, I _was_ a little worried for a minute that all you cared about was keepin' warm. Thanks for tellin' me otherwise. C'mere!"

She kept Ruby clinging around her neck and reached out her arms to gather the other two girls to her sides in partial hugs. Blake let out a soft purr, and even Weiss closed her eyes to enjoy the feeling for a moment.

Once it was over, Yang released them, and immediately they missed the shared warmth of their teammates. But they all promised themselves to try and sleep in their own beds tonight.

Ruby and Yang clambered up to their respective beds while Blake and Weiss laid down beneath them. Zwei hopped up to sleep at the foot of Weiss' bed, curling up on her ankles once she'd settled.

Blake turned off the bedside lamp, and after goodnight wishes were exchanged, silence crept into the room.

But it was even chillier tonight than it had been last night or the night before.

Ruby rolled herself up in her blankets as tightly as possible, but it was just no use. Even though she'd worn her warmest pajama pants and a sweater _and_ fuzzy socks to bed, she was still too cold to sleep.

It wasn't long before she hopped down with a blanket still over her shoulders, and tiptoed across the room. She tapped on the side of Yang's bed and called out to her.

"Yang?"

Yang had been expecting this, honestly. She rolled over and peered down at her sister.

"What's up? Cold?"

Ruby nodded guiltily.

"Can I sleep with you...?"

Yang's lips broke out into a grin.

"Course ya can. Come on up."

She helped Ruby onto the mattress and helped her slip beneath Yang's blankets as well. She draped an arm around her little sister's back to keep her close.

Ruby snuggled up to her sister's side, smiling and sighing blissfully as warmth flooded over her at last.

Of course, the cold had kept Blake up all this time as well, and she'd witnessed the entire thing.

She just couldn't take this chill. She'd never catch a wink of sleep tonight if she was alone.

So she caved as well, sitting up in bed and rapping lightly on the underside of her partner's bed.

"Yang...?"

A pause.

Then...

"What's up, Blake?"

Her ears flicked and drooped again.

"I'm sorry. I don't want you to think I'm only asking because of how cold it is. I _did_ enjoy being with you all last night. It was really nice. And-"

"I get it," Yang whispered reassuringly. "Just get up here before you freeze over."

Blake didn't need any more invitation than that. She scrambled out of bed and left her cold mattress behind for Yang's.

Ruby giggled a bit as Blake joined them.

"You just can't beat Yang's snuggly warmth!"

"Nope!" her sister agreed. "And I'm glad I can share it with you guys~"

Blake laid down on her partner's other side and looped an arm around her stomach. Beneath those blankets, it was like curling up beside a fireplace on a cold winter evening.

The three of them might've fallen asleep right away, if not for the sense that something was missing.

Even though the rest of them had promised themselves and Yang to try and sleep in their own beds, it was simply too cold for such pride tonight.

But of course, if anyone had a stubborn amount of pride in this room, it was Weiss Schnee.

She'd heard Ruby and Blake give in to temptation already, but she refused to go back on her word so easily.

She didn't need them to keep warm.

No, wait. That was probably a lie.

But she didn't need to _be_ warm in order to sleep. She'd slept many nights of many years cold and alone in her bed before. She could do it again.

But... did she really _have_ to?

She had this wonderful, loving team now. Shouldn't she accept their friendship as much as she possibly could?

 _No. I don't need it. I don't want to feel as though I'm taking advantage of their kindness..._

She flipped herself over defiantly and clung tighter to her blankets.

But the action roused Zwei at her feet, causing him to jump off her bed. The measly warmth he left behind on her ankles vanished quickly, leaving Weiss to shiver.

Reluctantly, she looked back over her shoulder just to see what the corgi would do.

He circled on the floor a bit, then crouched down, gathering himself for a mighty jump. He landed perfectly atop Yang's pillow, not even touching so much as a single strand of her hair in the process.

Weiss heard both sisters coo welcomes to him, and she huffed to herself.

She wasn't so weak as to give in.

...Was she?

 _No. Absolutely not._

She could feel herself shivering harder than before, but she tried to ignore it.

But there were three other people who _had_ noticed, and simply couldn't let it slide.

Ruby, Blake, and Yang all called out to her in turn.

"Weiss-"

"It's alright-"

"Come over here."

Mortified that they'd called her out on it, Weiss refused to move for a moment longer.

But then she remembered how she'd felt last night with them all.

It wasn't just warmth. It was safety. Acceptance.

She failed to think of anywhere else where she'd have all three.

So at long last, nearly an hour after the others had caved, at 11:48PM, Weiss Schnee gave in as well.

Exhausted and cold, she left her bed behind and limped over to Yang's.

The others welcomed her with open arms. Literally.

As soon as Ruby had taken her hand and helped her _carefully_ climb up and over, Weiss brought up her protest.

"Never mind. There's not enough room-"

"Course there is!" Yang insisted. "You and Blake just switch from what you did last night. Here." She took Weiss' wrist and guided her over Ruby, then pulled the heiress onto herself.

Weiss squeaked as she nearly slid off of Yang and rolled down the other side, but Blake was there and ready to gently push her back into place. Weiss was as stiff as a board as she lay there on top of Yang now, with their faces just inches apart.

The blonde couldn't help but tease her.

"Aw, don't be shy, Weiss! I know this is a little _intimate_ , but it's not like there's anything I've never _felt_ before-"

"Yang-"

"Don't tease her-"

"Enough!" Weiss quickly silenced her with a flick to the forehead. "Whatever! Since we're all here now, let's just go to sleep! _Please!_ "

She heard Ruby and Blake chuckle into Yang's shoulders, but tried to ignore them.

"Alright, you heard her," Yang grinned. "Weiss is right, we should rest up now."

" _Thank_ you," she huffed.

From there, they all began to settle down.

Yang slung an arm around Ruby and the other around Blake, who each put and arm around Weiss. Zwei curled close to Yang's head and nestled into her pillow.

Despite the awkward position she found herself in, Weiss eventually started to relax. With Ruby's fingers absentmindedly tickling her back, Blake's rubbing softly in contrast, and Yang's bountiful warmth pressing all along her stomach and chest, it was impossible for Weiss to maintain her rigidness.

The shivers died away before long, and eventually, everyone had adjusted themselves and the blankets just right. They said their goodnights again.

"Mm, night, guys~"

"Goodnight."

"Sleep well."

"Sweet dreams."

Ruby rested her cheek on the front of Yang's shoulder, and Blake did the same on her other side. Weiss gingerly laid her head on Yang's collar and closed her eyes.

Yang knew they all felt a little guilty about sleeping with her for her warmth, but they all knew there was more to it than that.

Besides, this was probably one of the few times Yang had ever been so extraordinarily happy. She had three of the people (and one dog) she cared for most in the world beside her.

And the books supporting the bed were sturdy enough to ensure they were all relatively safe to stay this way until dawn. They _probably_ wouldn't fall and crash, but if they did, they'd do it together.

But in all honesty, Yang was happy just to know the rest of them felt the same.

Before she could fall asleep, Yang made sure to show her love one last time.

Leaning to her side, she first kissed Ruby's forehead, then shifted over to kiss Blake. She then kissed the top of Weiss' head delicately before resting her head back on her pillow.

And since they'd all caved and were sharing Yang's bed, the others felt it was only fair to return the favor.

Ruby kissed her sister's cheek affectionately, and Blake took care of the other cheek. Weiss made quick work of kissing Yang's nose, then hiding her face once again.

They slept deeply and comfortably that night, with smiles on their lips, and gentle, kindling flames in their hearts.

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 **A/N: The title is a reference to a little song they sing at the summer camp where I work. The song is called Forty Years on an Iceberg, and the rhyme eventually goes to a line "I had to hug a polar bear to keep me warm at night" and it's my favorite song for the camp and just super cute in general so here it is as a title of a cuddle fic!**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	2. Perfect

**Commission for maskedriderbiocore! They asked for Blake being cared for and spoiled by her teammates!**

 **Since I've written a few shorter Pollination fics recently, I decided to put them together in this fic! The title is relevant for this chapter as well, though this is unrelated to chapter 1.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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Chapter 2. Perfect

It was always nice to get away from Beacon and enjoy their Friday evenings to the fullest in Vale.

Team RWBY had made it a tradition of sorts to always take it easy after classes were over for the week and just enjoy their Friday night, though Weiss was always sure to remind them that meant they'd need to complete all of their homework the next day.

Typically, they would go see a movie, go out for dinner, or simply enjoy a walk around the local park as they reminisced on the events of the school week.

This evening, the plan was to hit the theater. Blake had been very subtly excited to see a newly-released film, one of few that had a Faunus as the main character instead of just a sidekick or lesser role.

Her teammates were more than happy and eager to accompany her. They all relished her reserved excitement as they waited on line to get their tickets.

Blake was absolutely radiant, almost glowing as she fiddled nervously with her hands. It was hard for the others to keep quiet.

"So?" Weiss said, nudging her softly. "Just how excited are you for this?"

"Really excited..." she admitted. "The lead actress is my favorite. She's the best."

"Blake's got a celebrity crush~" Yang mused.

"Kind of..." she admitted.

"I can't wait to see it!" Ruby chirped. "I know it's gonna be great!"

But as they inched their way up to the front of the line, all four girls became increasingly aware of a less pleasant group of people standing behind them.

They'd clearly heard Blake's words of praise for this movie and decided to raise their voices obnoxiously loud to rain on her parade.

"Man, I can't believe they actually made a movie with a _Faunus_ as the lead."

"Who'd wanna go see _that?_ How'd it even get approved for release?"

"It's not even like... a superhero movie or anything. It's just about a _Faunus_. Like, yay, let's go see the movie about the freaks of nature!"

A bout of cruel laughter followed the last person's words.

All four members of team RWBY had heard everything loud and clear.

Ruby, Weiss, and Yang had watched Blake's bow droop more and more with each comment, her smile fading like a happy memory. Seeing her being upset so suddenly only put the others into defensive mode.

Yang was naturally the one to explode as she whipped around to face the people behind them and stomped her foot.

"Hey!"

"Yang, don't-" Weiss reached out to grab her arm, guiding her back. "Believe me, I want to do the same thing. But this isn't the time or place..."

Yang snorted at the unnerved group of teens, but held her ground, though that didn't stop her from glaring daggers.

Meanwhile, Ruby had wrapped her arms around Blake and squeezed her softly.

"Blake? Don't listen to them."

The Faunus girl returned the hug meekly, but had clearly been entirely disheartened.

"Sorry. It's... kind of hard _not_ to..."

Dismay filled Ruby's chest as she looked up and noticed the tears in Blake's eyes.

"Oh no, no, no! Blake, _please_ -" Helplessly, she looked to Weiss and Yang.

Their anger and disgust at the group behind them was exchanged for concern. They went to Blake, placing consoling hands on her back and shoulders by means of comfort and support. Quietly, they guided her out of line, where she could wipe her tears in privacy.

"Sorry..." Blake mumbled.

"Don't be," Weiss said softly. "It's _them_ who should be sorry. Low-lives..."

"You okay?" Yang asked, patting her partner's back. Blake shrugged.

"I... don't really feel like going to see the movie anymore... Sorry. I know we already came all the way here, but-"

"That's okay!" Ruby smiled and voiced what the rest of them were thinking. "If you'd feel better just going home and relaxing the rest of the night, we can do that."

Blake wiped her eyes again, then cast an almost guilty look to the rest of them.

"Yeah... I think that might be best."

"Okay." Ruby looped her arm around Blake's and tugged her gently back towards the sidewalk, urging the others to follow. "Yeah, let's just go home and relax tonight! We'll have a good time!"

As they walked back to the docks to catch an airship, Blake kept apologizing for having them ditch the movie after coming to town. But her teammates just kept reassuring her it was fine and that none of them minded.

"What matters most," Yang proclaimed. "Is that we're all having fun. As long as we're doing that, it doesn't matter where we are!"

Their continuous support and kind words proved to make Blake feel better bit by bit as they took their flight back to Beacon.

Once there, Ruby suggested they head to the cafeteria for dinner.

Weiss used her silver tongue to convince the chefs there to prepare a tuna melt specially, even though it wasn't one of the foods on tonight's menu. Ruby waited with Blake at one of the tables, chatting with her about a new book series.

When their food was ready, Yang and Weiss presented it proudly. Blake's eyes lit up with delight as she thanked them over and over again.

They enjoyed their meal together, eating at their leisure.

After finishing and returning their plates, they headed back to their room and took turns changing into their sleepwear in the bathroom.

Ruby was changing now, and Yang was rummaging about trying to find a board game for them to play together, while Weiss was brushing her hair. The heiress noticed when Blake retreated to her bed and sat down rather heavily, sighing softly.

"Blake? Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh... yeah." She smiled a little tightly. "I think I just... ate too much of that tuna melt or something."

"Stomachache?"

"Just a bit."

Before Weiss could speak again, the bathroom door had burst open and a streak of black, white, and pink pajamas darted out.

"What?!" Ruby gasped. "Blake's sick?"

"Not really!" The Faunus girl put her hands up to pacify her worried leader. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Ruby whimpered. She dropped to her knees and rested her chin on Blake's knees. Zwei waddled over and mimicked her imploring eyes exactly.

Blake actually laughed a little then.

"Guys, honestly. It's nothing."

"Welp." Yang leaned back from where she'd been trying to pull out a board game from one of the shelves. "Can't have fun if Blakey's not feeling well, right?" She shoved the game back into its place and left it, then crossed the room.

With all of her teammates looking at her with such care and concern, Blake's ears swiveled bashfully.

"Guys, really-"

"New plan of action!" Ruby declared. "We're gonna have a 'Weiss night'! Going to bed early so we can do more things tomorrow!"

"Hey! Why are you naming nights after me?"

"Because you always wanna make us go to bed super early, right? I'm not wrong!"

"I guess..." Weiss stood from her bed, opening the cabinet drawer to exchange her brush for Blake's. She made her way to her teammate's bed. "May I?"

Blake slid over invitingly.

"Sure."

"Thank you." Weiss sat beside her, then motioned for her to turn around. "Let me brush your hair for you. You need to relax."

With all of them so eager to make her feel better, Blake coyly complied.

She knelt on her bed with her hands on her knees, feeling as Weiss began running her fingers through her hair. She felt the hands being traced down her back, stroking softly. With great care, Weiss placed the brush at the ends of her hair and started to brush. Blake couldn't help but let out another sigh.

"Is this all right?" Weiss checked.

"Yes. It's perfect, Weiss."

The heiress alternated between pressing her palm over Blake's back, and running the brush through again, gradually working her way up higher. The bristles tickled at her back, and Blake shivered a bit.

Yang noticed right away.

"Chilly?"

"...A bit."

"Leave it to me!"

Yang sat down on the bed in front of her partner and coaxed her forward. Blake shifted a little bit, though not enough to deter Weiss.

Yang had her lean into her chest in a loose embrace. She wrapped her arms around the Faunus girl's back snugly and shared a spark of heat.

With Yang warming her front and Weiss caring for her hair behind her, Blake felt a tiny, cracked purr working its way up her throat.

But of course, Ruby was still sitting on the floor with Zwei, whimpering.

"No faaaair you guys! I wanna help Blake, too!" She scrambled up onto the bed, making it a bit of a tight fit for the rest of them.

After a bit of pause, they moved themselves around a little into positions that made more sense.

Weiss ended up kneeling near the pillow, with Blake lying on her back and resting her head in the heiress' lap. From there, Weiss could keep brushing her hair and the soft fur of her ears.

Yang laid down on her side next to her partner and draped an arm across Blake's collar and shoulders, snuggling close to keep sharing her warmth.

And Ruby had found her place on Blake's other side, mirroring her sister's position. She contented both Blake and herself by reaching over to rub over her friend's stomach a bit, tracing her palm around in slow, gentle circles to help soothe her upset stomach.

Even Zwei had curled up at Blake's feet and pressed his warm fur against her skin.

With all of them working together, they managed to elicit the ever-elusive purr from Blake's chest.

It started out small, merely a tiny bubble in the pit of her stomach that only Ruby could feel. She giggled a little once she realized what was happening.

And as they continued to pamper her, the purr mounted strength and worked its way up to her chest. Yang noticed it now and smirked a little smugly.

At last, Blake's entire body was filled with her purr, the little vibrations traveling as far up as her ears. Weiss could feel it rolling in her knees where Blake rested against her, as well as beneath her fingertips.

Blake's eyes were closed in total bliss. She was so warm, so safe, so happy...

The others realized they felt the same way, and weren't all that willing to get up and leave anytime soon.

Ruby was the first to start yawning. Her hand motions became a little slower, a little lazier, until her hands stopped moving altogether. She rested her head over Blake's stomach and quickly fell asleep to the sounds of her purr.

Yang was soon to follow her little sister's example. She laid her ear on Blake's shoulder, listening to the slow, steady beat of her heart, which eventually lulled her to sleep.

Weiss needed to move herself extremely carefully as to not disturb the others. She put the brush aside, then stretched her legs out and laid down horizontally in relation to the others, but it was the only feasible way for her to fit.

Her head was cushioned at one end of the pillow, her legs dangling a bit off the opposite side of the bed. She gently moved Blake's head from her lap to her stomach now, and lightly wrapped her arms around the Faunus girl's shoulders.

Blake listened to Weiss' breathing until she knew the heiress had followed the others into the land of slumber.

She opened her eyes for a moment and relished their presence, doing her best to stay conscious for as long as possible.

She was aware of everything each of them had done to make her feel better.

Her stomachache had been erased by Ruby's soft, assuaging hands. Blake reached down to drape one arm around her young leader's shoulders.

The shiver in her chest had been chased off by Yang's care-taking, leaving only a pleasant heat behind. Blake reached out with her free arm to slip it beneath her partner's shoulders.

The usual knotted feeling in her hair had been dashed by Weiss' skills, while her ears felt rejuvenated and comfortable after being touched so gently. Blake nuzzled her cheek appreciatively into the heiress' nightgown.

Then, it was her turn to yawn.

Her eyelids fell shut once more, every ounce of tension draining from her body, every upsetting thought absent from her mind.

Everything was just... perfect.

Blake, too, was soon fast asleep, though her hearty purr didn't stop for a long while.

* * *

 **A/N: Perfect. Or purrfect ahaha~**

 **Lots of people asking for RW_Y defending Blake recently, and I love this trend. I really want one or all of them to do something like that in the canon and show Blake how much they care about her.**

 **If you like my work, you can support me on as Kiria Alice!**

 **Please review!**


	3. The Biggest Comfort

**The next addition to this story for Tom! It's been a while since I last updated, but I hope whoever is still reading enjoys! This chapter is going to be the team comforting Weiss.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

Chapter 3. The Biggest Comfort

Everything was going well for Weiss. She was, of course, doing well in all of her classes, was learning new techniques during combat practice, and with the help of her friends and teammates was succeeding in opening up to more people, including herself.

In retrospect, she should have been able to guess that it was all a little too perfect. She knew better than anyone that 'perfect' didn't come without a price to pay.

Another successful day had turned into an easygoing evening, and then progressed into a calm night. Everyone else was already asleep as Weiss laid herself down and closed her eyes. She reflected on the things she'd done today as a way to help exhaust her mind until she fell asleep.

But just before she lost consciousness, she could sense something. It was as if a dark cloud was moving in over a clear horizon, pushed onward by angry winds until it enveloped her and blotted out the moon.

. . .

She was back at the Schnee mansion, though she couldn't remember ever leaving for it. Of all the places and rooms she could have been in, she was in her very least favorite.

Her father's office was dimly-lit and eerily quiet, though Weiss knew from experience that was about to change. Her father stood from his desk in one enraged motion, toppling his chair over in the process as his voice thundered in rage.

"You incompetent child! How many times must I tell you? You are going nowhere in life if you continue to follow this path! You are to follow _my_ rules or pay the consequences!"

And Weiss knew she should just nod her head and agree to his face, though as always, she fully intended to go behind his back once she was free. But her voice betrayed her, rising up without her consent, standing her ground instead of holding her tongue.

"Then I will accept any consequences!"

She hadn't noticed them before, but now she can see Winter and Klein standing behind her father. Weiss looks to them for help, but to her horror both simply shake their heads and give her looks of undisputed pity.

As her father advances on her Weiss tries to run, but she finds her shoes glued to the carpet. She watches the hand rise up above her head, hears the rush of air, hears the heavy impact as it strikes her scarred cheek, hard enough to break bone...

. . .

Blake is the first to notice the noises Weiss is making. With her keen hearing she stirs even in her sleep and turns herself toward the source of the distress.

Upon opening her eyes, the room is dark as it should be at this hour of night, but she can easily see across the room to Weiss' bed. The heiress has her back turned to her and she isn't moving much, but Blake can detect a few small jolts here and there.

Blake's never been very good at comfort, in her own opinion, so she decides to call for backup.

Sitting up, she reaches up for Yang's bed and knocks quietly on the underside. The consistent light snoring cuts off abruptly with a moan. There's some shifting about, and a moment later her partner's blonde bedhead is hanging over the side, peering down at her.

"Blake? What's up?"

Blake inclines her chin to Weiss' bed.

"I thought you might know what to do..."

Yang follows her gaze. It's a little amusing to Blake how clearly she can see her go from tired teen into Big Sister mode.

"Lemme wake Ruby up," Yang murmurs. "We can all help out."

The blonde straightens up on her own bed and gropes around for her sleep cap. Once she finds it, she pulls it back on her thumb and index finger like a rubber band and fires it across the room into Ruby's bunk. Judging by the gagging sound her sister makes, she hit her mark.

Ruby sits up and pulls the blanket-curtain aside, rubbing her eyes.

"Yang, what the _heck_ -"

"Sorry to wake ya. But I think your partner could use some help."

"Huh?" Ruby leans forward to peer over the edge of her bed. Now she can hear Weiss' little whimpers as well.

With all of them now awake and set on their mission, Blake gets up first and helps Yang down to the floor, then Yang does the same for Ruby. Even Zwei hops down from the top bunk to stand next to them. Ruby fidgets and calls out softly for her partner.

"Weiss!"

Blake and Yang can both tell that she's about to throw herself forward and wake Weiss up in a hurry. But they also know that while waking from a nightmare is a relief, it's much better if it's done with tact and care.

So before Ruby can shake Weiss awake, Blake puts a hand on her shoulder and keeps her back.

"It's all right, Ruby. We'll help her. It'd just be better if we don't startle her awake."

"But-"

"Here," Yang says, patting Ruby's head. "Watch how it's done. Big Sis knows what to do."

With that, she goes around Weiss' bed to the other side, the side the heiress is facing. She takes a seat on the edge of the bed, getting herself closer down to Weiss' level. On the other side of the bed, Blake and Ruby do the same.

Yang reaches out for her teammate, gently resting a hand on Weiss' shoulder, letting the backs of her fingernails dance across her cheek.

"Hey... Weiss?" Her voice is low and tranquil in contrast to whatever turmoil Weiss is going through in her dreams. Since all their talking thus far hasn't roused her, Yang knows touch has to be the way. "Weiss?" She strokes through her hair in slow petting motions before giving a very light push to her shoulder.

Weiss jolts again as her eyes fly open, a pained moan on her lips as she feels the palm on her cheek- But it doesn't hurt this time.

As she looks up, she finds herself back in her dorm room, and her father is nowhere to be seen. Instead, Yang is looking down at her with tender eyes.

"Hey," she murmurs. "Take it easy, Weiss. You're okay."

Weiss' voice comes out small and choked.

"Yang-"

"Weiss!" Ruby's been holding herself back all this time but now she can't any longer. She leans over Weiss and throws both arms around her as best she can from this position, squeezing her tight. "It's okay! It was just a bad dream!"

"Ruby..." Weiss braces herself up on her elbow and hastily puts a hand on her partner's back, glancing over her shoulder. "Blake too..." A small yip at the foot of her bed has her looking down to where a fourth smiling face is peeping over the edge. "And Zwei..."

Blake offers her a kind smile.

"We just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I..." Weiss is quiet for a moment as she looks around to all of them after Ruby eases back. "I... I appreciate the concern. But I'm fine. Thank you for waking me, in any case."

"You sure?" Yang asks. "You don't wanna talk about it or anything?"

"Not really," Weiss mumbles.

"Well either way, it's over and gone!" Ruby reminds her. "So don't worry about it anymore, okay?"

"I'll do my best."

In truth, Weiss doesn't want them to go. Their presence here beside her suggests a feeling of love and support she's never really had before. Not like this.

But the prideful part of herself is still embarrassed they've even seen her this vulnerable. She can't afford to...

 _"You can't afford to let others know your weaknesses!"_

Her father's voice echoes through her head without warning, causing her to flinch. The others don't miss it.

"Weiss?" Blake's the only one who speaks, but the sisters each inch a little closer.

And Weiss realizes what this is. That part of herself that won't allow her true emotions to show. That is the 'Schnee' inside of her. Not the genuine feelings her grandfather had worked all his life to share. But the fabricated ones her father had implanted to stain the roots.

This is the part that conceals, hides, lies...

Weiss won't allow it. Not anymore.

Expressing how she really feels has never come easily, but she doesn't see a better time to start trying than now.

"Actually..."

At her soft word, all of her teammates turn back to her. They'd been prepared to leave if that was what Weiss wanted. But now they remain still and listen.

"If you all wouldn't mind staying for a while longer... I think I'd like that..."

And it takes them all a moment to process this. That the prideful Weiss Schnee who's always turning people away has just asked them to stay. They're admittedly almost too happy to believe it.

"Y-Yeah!"

"Of course."

"Sure!"

Weiss offers a thankful smile to each of them.

But then they realize their next dilemma. How are all four of them possibly going to fit on one single bed?

None of them voice the question aloud, but they all do their best to try and figure it out.

Ruby goes first, crawling onto Weiss' bed and snuggling up to her side, wrapping her partner in a warm hug. Yang slides in on Weiss' other side, ruffling her hair from behind. The three of them can just barely fit, but they aren't about to have Blake sleep on the floor.

Ever the problem-solver, Ruby lays Weiss down on her back and shuffles herself to lie on top of her, grinning triumphantly. That leaves her previous space open for Blake to squeeze in beneath the blankets. Finally, Zwei hops up at the foot of the bed and curls up at their feet.

All three of Weiss' teammates snuggle up to her now, wrapping their arms around her and around each other in any way they can. As Blake and Yang are pulling the blankets up over Ruby's back, the brunette peeks down at her partner, resting her chin on Weiss' chest like a puppy.

"Weiss? Are you okay now?"

The heiress looks to Blake, then to Yang, and back up to Ruby with a smile.

"How could I _not_ be okay? I have the most wonderful teammates ever here with me."

"Aw, shucks!" Ruby chuckles.

"Glad to hear it," Yang says.

"Now just try to get some sleep," Blake advises.

Now they're all content to take her advice.

After wishing each other goodnights and sweet dreams, the girls close their eyes.

Upon doing so, Weiss can sense those dark looming clouds creeping in at the corners of her mind once again.

But when she takes a breath and remembers Blake holding onto her left hand, Yang holding her right, Ruby hugging her stomach, and Zwei protecting her ankles, the cloud dissipates as though it had never been there at all.

Weiss falls asleep without fear of nightmares this time, surrounded by the biggest comfort of warm friends and quiet, all-encompassing love.

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 **A/N: It's been a while since I've ventured back to write some RWBY and Pollination is the best way to get back into the groove!**

 **Please review!**


	4. The Best Gift

**The final chapter for this little compilation of fics for Tom! Unlike the others, it's actually not a sad one!**

 **Unfortunately the official reveal of Ruby's birthday being October 31st came too late for me to be able to post this in time for it, but oh well.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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Chapter 4. The Best Gift

Yang waited until Ruby was in the shower that night before she told Weiss and Blake about tomorrow. Ruby hadn't specifically mentioned it herself, which led Yang to believe that maybe she didn't want them to know, or maybe she didn't want to celebrate it for some reason, but she felt she at least had to tell her teammates the truth. Because tomorrow-

"It's her birthday?!"

Weiss and Blake both blurted out in disbelief the second Yang told them her sister's little secret. The blonde quickly waved her hands for silence.

"Yeah, it's tomorrow. But since she hasn't mentioned it, I'm not sure if she doesn't want people to know or what. She can be a little weird about it sometimes. So just be cool about it, all right? Don't say anything unless she does first."

"But we should at the very least get her something, right?" Weiss fretted.

"Even if it's just something small," Blake agreed.

"Nah," Yang shook her head. "Ruby's not really into presents all that much. Well, unless you're gonna get her more parts for her weapons and stuff like that, but I wouldn't recommend it. Maybe just getting her some cupcakes would be fine. But I'm not sure yet. Let's just wait and see what she wants to do."

They were all in agreement and acted normally when Ruby stepped out of the bathroom in her pajamas. None of the older girls mentioned anything about tomorrow or acted any differently, and they all exchanged their goodnights as if it were any other evening.

Now that Yang had warned them, Weiss and Blake knew to be cautious but expectant tomorrow, prepared for whatever reaction Ruby might have to her own birthday.

But they weren't really prepared for an energetic wake-up call at 7AM on a Saturday morning.

"Haaaaappy Birthday to meeeeeee~!"

Ruby's voice sang through the room in a gleeful squeal at the break of dawn, rousing all of the others who groaned and forced themselves awake. Zwei started running around in circles barking, which only ensured none of them could attempt going back to sleep.

Being that Yang had grown up her entire life with Ruby and was used to this sort of birthday-morning energy, she sat up from her bunk and looked over at her little sister first while Weiss and Blake were still recovering.

"So," Yang grinned. "You remembered this year, huh?"

"Hey, I only forgot my birthday that _one_ time, Yang!"

"Which time? The time you turned eleven? Or the time you turned fourteen?"

"Eghk! Okay fine, twice! But I'm not gonna forget it again!"

"You sure weren't acting like you were gonna remember last night."

"That's my strategy! The day before, I gotta act like my birthday's just gonna be a normal day, so then I can save and use up all my energy! If I start getting excited about it a day or two early, then I won't have any energy left for my actual birthday!"

" _You_ , not have enough energy?" Yang chuckled. "Please, Ruby."

"Eheheh~" Now she finally looked down beneath her own bed and across the room to check on Weiss and Blake. "Sorry for waking you guys up! I just can't help being so excited! I save all my energy up just for this day of the year!"

"All of it?" Weiss mumbled. "Are you sure? I feel the other 364 days beg to differ."

"It's fine," Blake said, also sitting up now. "It's a Saturday, after all. We can sleep in tomorrow."

"Right!" Yang jumped down from her bed and walked to Ruby's bunk, opening her arms wide. "But today is my lil' sister's birthday! So we gotta celebrate!"

Ruby crawled over to the edge of her bed and jumped down, startling poor Weiss in the process as Ruby leapt into Yang's waiting arms. The blonde spun her around and gave her a kiss on the forehead before setting her down.

"So! Whaddaya wanna do today, birthday girl? Just say the word!"

"Hmmm, let's see-"

"H-Hold on!" Weiss cut in. "At least let us get dressed first..."

"Oh yeah!"

So the four of them went about the morning and got ready for whatever day Ruby had in store for them.

They started off by going to the cafeteria to get breakfast, where Ruby treated herself to sugary cereal _without_ the side order of fruit like Weiss usually demanded she have.

Once their classmates caught wind of things, they all wished Ruby a happy birthday as they passed by, smiling and waving. Ruby grinned and waved back with sugary crumbs on her face.

The others just wanted to see to it that she at least got _some_ nutrition in her diet today, so Blake got her a small cup of strawberries which Ruby happy wolfed down.

After that, Ruby expressed her wishes of heading to Vale for the day. So they all boarded an air ship and flew down to the town, letting her lead the way.

For hours they followed her around town, asking her what it was exactly she wanted to do for her birthday. Every time Ruby looked at any object in a shop for longer than five seconds, Weiss immediately offered to buy it for her. But Ruby kept shaking her head.

"That's okay! But thanks anyway!"

Blake tried to get her a storybook at the book store, but Ruby refused that, too.

"Nah, it's fine! Thanks, Blake!"

The three older girls kept sharing perplexed, exasperated looks throughout the day with every refusal Ruby gave them.

"It's her birthday, for goodness' sake!" Weiss hissed. "She _has_ to let us get her _something!_ "

"But what?" Blake whispered back. "She doesn't _want_ anything."

"Well I think Weiss is right," Yang murmured. "As her big sister, I won't sleep tonight if I don't at least get her one thing for a present."

"Same here."

"Yes!"

So when they passed by the next little cafe, all three of them pulled Ruby in and bought her a small strawberry-topped chocolate cake. Ruby couldn't help but squeal.

"Waaaaah thank you thank you thank you soooo much you guys! This looks amaaaazing!"

They all sat down at a table as Ruby started cutting the cake into slices, but Yang stopped her. She cut the biggest slice for Ruby first and then distributed the three other smaller slices.

The four of them enjoyed the treat, but no one more eagerly than the birthday girl herself. She wore a huge grin all the while as she scarfed down her cake, with Weiss occasionally reaching out to wipe a napkin across her partner's face.

"Now then," she said after cleaning Ruby off again. "Have you decided what you want for your birthday yet, Ruby?"

"You still haven't given us any ideas," Blake said. "Whatever we thought you might like and offered to get, you refused."

"Seriously, sis!" Yang sighed. "You gotta ask for _something_ on your own birthday! So spill the beans!"

"Ew!" Ruby made a face. "No beans allowed on my birthday! Only cake!" After chuckling a bit at her own joke, Ruby stuffed another piece in her mouth and pondered. "Hmm, don't worry! There is something I want!"

"Tell us!" they all demanded.

Ruby chuckled again.

"I will! Very soon, I promise!"

They kept asking her every minute or so until they left the cafe, and then until they boarded the air ship and went all the way back to Beacon. But even then Ruby didn't tell them yet.

Weiss was about to start pulling her hair out, and Blake's hair was about to turn the color of Weiss'. They just wanted to know so they could give her a good birthday.

But even after they got back to their dorm room, Ruby's only command was, "All righty! Everyone go get changed!" before she darted off into the bathroom to put on her pajamas. That was when the others started discussing things amongst themselves.

"A party," Weiss said. "She wants to stay up late and eat junk food, right?"

"Maybe a movie marathon?" Blake guessed.

"Yeah, could be either or both of those," Yang guessed. "Maybe we should go grab some food from the cafeteria before-"

Ruby opened the bathroom door and stepped out, then proceeded to usher Weiss in for her turn to change. She herded each of her teammates in like that until everyone was in their pajamas like she'd wanted. Weiss stood with her hands on her hips, Blake's ear was twitching, and Yang looked like she was going to explode if she didn't hear her little sister's demands now.

"Well?"

"What did you want?"

"Tell us, Ruby!"

"Okay! Are you guys ready?" Ruby asked.

"Yes!" they all cried.

Even Zwei had waddled over to hear her answer.

The brunette grinned, then made her announcement with her arms spread wide.

"Cuddles!"

There was a beat of silence.

Then another. Then another.

One for each of her dumbfounded teammates.

But as the reality sunk in, they realized they weren't surprised.

Of _course_ this would be her only birthday request. This was Ruby Rose, after all. Of course she'd appreciate any weapon's parts or strawberry cakes, but above all else what she'd enjoy the most would be getting to spend time with her teammates.

And so they all obliged.

Luckily, Weiss offered her own bed so the four of them wouldn't have to somehow boost themselves up into the precariously-hanging bunk above it.

Ruby jumped in first and Blake and Yang went on either side of her. There wasn't any room for Weiss to go where she'd have her own space, so Yang offered a suggestion.

"Here!" She laid on her back and patted her stomach. "All yours, Weiss!"

The heiress grimaced.

"No thank you."

"Awww."

"How about this?" Blake offered an alternative that would still solve their space problem. She coaxed Ruby to turn and face her, then gently pulled her leader on top of her stomach, as Yang had been offering to do to Weiss. Ruby happily crawled on top of Blake and snuggled into her collar.

This left plenty of space for Weiss to get in on Blake's other side, which she did. Both she and Yang turned onto their sides and draped an arm across Ruby's back while Ruby nestled her face into Blake's chest. The Faunus girl let out a soft rumbling purr.

And finally Zwei jumped up at the foot of the bed and made himself comfortable between a pair of feet.

All of Team RWBY let out a collective sigh. Weiss and Yang each had one arm on Ruby's back and one hand gently rubbing one of Blake's ears each. Blake had one arm around each of them, lightly stroking through their hair.

Ruby kept changing who she was hugging, making sure she got to all of them at some point. She never stopped smiling.

"This is the best birthday ever... thanks, you guys..."

There was a drawl to her voice now after the long, exciting day she'd had. The others knew it was time for bed.

They all took turns kissing their leader and wishing her goodnight.

Weiss pecked one cheek, Blake kissed her forehead, and Yang covered her other cheek. And together they murmured, "Happy birthday, Ruby."

Ruby hummed and sighed and closed her eyes. She fell asleep to the feeling of Weiss rubbing her back, Yang petting her hair, and the sound of Blake's purr.

The others soon followed, curling up in bed together warmly and happily.

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 **A/N: It was nice to have this final chapter be all feel-good~ Thanks again to Tom for the ideas! I hope you all enjoyed the Pollination fluff!**

 **Please review!**


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